The popularity of competitive FPV
drone racing and the availability of
ready-to-fly race quadcopters, has had
interested AMA clubs creating dedicated
racecourses at their flying sites this year.

AMA officially welcomed Multirotor
Grand Prix (MultiGP), its newest Special
Interest Group (SIG) to represent this
community in November of 2015 and,
in less than a year, its membership has
exceeded that of any other AMA SIG.

I have had numerous calls from
clubs inquiring about how to set up a
safe racecourse and program at their
flying sites. Members should review
AMA Document #550 for general FPV
operational rules, AMA’s FPV racecourse
safety considerations, and definitely visit
MultiGP at www.multigp.com.

MultiGP is a premier FPV drone
racing league that hosts competition-based tournaments, free-fly gatherings,
and casual events. Consider creating or
joining a MultiGP Chapter in District I.

We are in the process of creating a list of
all of the AMA clubs in the district that
have included drone or FPV multirotor
racing at their flying sites.

On April 10, 2016, Associate Vice
President Steve Brehm and I were
invited by Art van Meeteren, the
founder of Rhode Island Drone
Racing, to attended an open house
and fly at the Wide World of Indoor
Sports Complex. Art discovered these
absolutely phenomenal indoor facilities
and negotiated for the use of one of the
five indoor, climate-controlled fields at
the company’s North Kingston, Rhode
Island, complex. There is another
complex in Smithfield, Rhode Island,
Although these state-of-the-art facilities
were designed for sports such as soccer,
lacrosse, and baseball, they are perfect
for indoor drone racing.

We watched race drones impact
the turf at full speed, never breaking a
propeller or part. All of the walls and
ceilings are protected with netting, and
the overlooking observation mezzanine
with seats, tables, and a food and
refreshment bar, as well as the lower
operation area separating the fields, are
glassed off and netted.

The current format allows for open
practice from noon until 3 p.m.,
followed by race sessions until 5 p.m.